Friday Night (That night)

"Can you see it? Did I cover it okay?"

"Yeah, mom, I don't think they'll notice at all… you'll be fine."

"Okay, I just don't really want to talk about it, but knowing them, they probably already know all about it."

"Why would you say that?"

"Because they are the Gilmores, who know everyone and everything. All their snotty friends are in the same loop, which also has Jason's dad in it…get the picture."

"yeah, well, come on, let's forget about Jason for a while." Rory says, while ringing the doorbell at the Gilmore Mansion.

"Rory! Lorelai! Come on in!" says Emily, a lot more exuberant than normal.

"Woah… mom… you've been sniffing waay to much crack today!"

"Oh, don't be silly Lorelai, I'm just in a good mood."

"Well, that's good… isn't it good mom." Interjects Rory before her mother can make another snippy comment.

"Where's dad?"

"He is in his study, working on something for a presentation tomorrow. He said that he would be out for dinn-"

"EMILY!" Richard screams from his study.

"Good God Richard, what is wrong with you!" She says, standing up, and heading in the direction of the study, only to find Richard running out to meet her.

"Are they-" he starts to question before seeing Rory and Lorelai sitting on the couch.

He walks over to the girls who stand up to face him with questioning looks. Turning to Lorelai, he moves the hair from the left side of her face, passing a light touch over her covered welt. She flinches slightly, pulling back from his hand, and trying to not meet his eyes.

"It's true?"

With a glance up, tears form in her eyes, and Richard clenches his fists.

"I'll kill him, that damn Jason Stiles! I swear to God I'll kill him"

"Richard, what are you talking about!" screams Emily, not knowing what to make of the scene.

"He hit her! The bastard actually laid a hand on our daughter!"

"Who… Jason?"

She turns to Lorelai with a judging glance, "I thought you told me that you broke up! You were still seeing him, and you didn't tell me!"

"Mom…"

"Don't mom me! You lied to us again!"

"Grandma…"

"No, I don't understand this Lorelai, how can you—"

"How can I? Oh that's rich mother!" she stands up and picks up her purse, preparing to leave. "I'm not seeing Jason, I wasn't seeing him anymore. He snuck into my house and told me that I was making a big mistake by leaving him, and that we were meant to be together…let's see… after that he decided to scream at me, while pulling at my arm, and when I pushed him away, he hit me! So there you have it, that's my healthy relationship that I wasn't telling you about…" she walks out of the house in tears, leaving everyone else stiff and silent.

"Lorelai!" She shouts a few moments later.

"Emily Gilmore, you stop right there…I cannot believe that upon hearing that you blame her… don't you see how bad this could have been? I know that man's temper Emily, and we should be thankful that she's okay." he says, turning on his heels and retreating back to his study.

"Rory?"

"I have to leave…I'm sorry Grandma, but I need to go find mom."

IN THE CAR ON THE DRIVE TO STARS HALLOW

Through her tears, she manages to dial the all familiar number, "Luke"

"Lorelai, are you okay?"

"It's Friday night, am I ever okay on Friday night?"

"It's too early for dinner to be done, what happened?"

"I don't… I don't want to talk about it. I just wanted to find out if you were home…I…I wanted to know if you could come be with me tonight, at least until I calm down?"

"How far away are you?"

"About 5 minutes or so…"

"I will meet you there."

"Thanks Luke."

"Nah, forget about it…"

She smiles for the first time that evening and closes her cell phone.

AT THE GIRLS'

He is just getting out of his truck as she pulls up next to him.

"Hey" he says, walking around to greet her.

"Luke…I…"

"Come on, let's go inside."

Inside the house, they curled up on the couch, with him holding her close as she continued to cry silent tears. She wasn't about to say anything for fear that saying it out loud would bring it all flooding back with even more vengeance.

He rubbed small circles on her back while resting his chin on her hair. She needs to sleep is what she needs. It has been such a long day, with lots and lots of emotion. At least we know where we are now. He smiles at the thought of the good that came out of what happened, and continues to stroke her back as he holds her to him.

OUTSIDE

I didn't think that she would call him so soon. She pulls up to the house to see Luke's truck parked next to her mom's Jeep. She slowly makes her way up the front porch, and glances quickly into the living room front window, stopping still at what she sees.

Maybe I'll just call her in the morning…Luke seems to have things under control. God… what took them so long? She thinks, shaking her head, and turning to get back in her car. I am so glad that they finally figured it out, or at least mom did. I think Luke knew all along that he was in love with her…he just couldn't admit it to her. It really is funny when you think about it, because those two have always been the lonely type, and I know that mom has always wanted that loneliness to go away. She wanted to be in love, find someone who loves just who she is, and understands her. I imagine that Luke wanted the same all these years too. You would think that they would have seen what was under their noses a lot sooner.

Rory puts her car in gear and heads back towards New Haven for the weekend, figuring that her mom and Luke needed some time to get to know each other.

ELDER GILMORE RESIDENCE

I can't believe that man had the guts to do that. I know that I may be overreacting to this a bit, but I still can't imagine that…and the look in her eyes when she realized that I knew. It broke my heart, because she was embarrassed. She didn't want to look her own father in the eye. Couldn't she tell that I wasn't upset at her, but at Jason? And then, damn that Emily and her mouth, telling Lorelai that she was a liar, and being upset with Lorelai for something so stupid that wasn't even true.

Richard sits at his desk, deep in thought, tapping a pencil against his desk.

With a sudden movement, he stands up and heads out the door. I have to make sure that she's okay. I want to know that she's okay.

THE GIRLS'

Lorelai was finally asleep on Luke's chest, breathing slowly and evenly under his watchful gaze. Suddenly, he heard a light tapping on the door, and carefully got out from underneath her, heading to answer the door.

Who the hell would come here this late?

Opening the door, he comes face to face with a man that he has only seen a few times before, and not remembering if they had been formally introduced.

"Mr. Gilmore? Can I help you with something?"

"Yes, uh… Luke isn't it? Aren't you the gentleman that owns the diner in town that girls are always raving about?"

"Same. Is there something that I can do for you sir?"

"I… Well, I wanted to make sure that Lorelai was okay."

He was a bit taken back by the concern shown in the old man's face. Knowing the history between Lorelai and her father, he knew that the fact that he had come here was a big deal.

"Um… yeah, sure. She was shaken up when she got home… almost as much as this morning."

"This morning?"

"She called me to get Jason away, and I had to convince her to talk to the police."

Obviously this dinerman, Luke, has a way with my daughter. Richard thinks as he glances at Luke from head to toe, sizing him up. He seems genuine in his concern for Lorelai, and he's obviously someone that she depends on.

"Thank you Luke."

"What?"

"Thank you for being here for her. I don't know exactly what Lorelai has told you about us, but I'm sure that you can come up with a few colorful words to say to my wife and myself. I'm grateful that you could be here when she needed someone."

"Dad?" says a groggy Lorelai, walking to the door in her now rumpled dress from the evening.

"Lorelai. I was just coming to see how you were."

"Did you bring mom?" she says with a squint to her eye.

"Of course not, I'm probably just as angry at that woman as you are."

She looks up and smiles, shocked that she and her father shared something.

"Well, what are you doing here?"

"I… I just wanted to make sure that you were okay…are you?"

She was taken back by the concern in her father's voice. "uh… yeah, I'll be okay." she says allowing a small silence to settle in the room.

"Hey, I'm going to go get some food, okay? You must be hungry" says Luke, breaking the silence and putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah, get me the usual."

"Heart attack with a side of cholesterol?"

"You got it babe!" she says, stretching up to give him a quick kiss on the lips.

He automatically turns crimson at the gesture, looking in the direction of Richard, asking him if he would like anything while he was going.

"No, Luke. Thank you though, I do appreciate it."

"Oh, no problem… uh… I'll be back in a bit then."

With that he walks out behind Richard, leaving father and daughter behind.

"Come on in dad." she says, gesturing down the hall to the living room.

"Well alright then."

Stepping in front of her, he makes his way to the couch, sitting down while nervously playing with his tie. He shifts uncomfortably as Lorelai sits down beside him.

"You drove all the way from Hartford to make sure that I was okay?"

"Well of course I did."

She doesn't respond, but nods her head in acknowledgement.

"Lorelai, I want you to know that we're going to fight on this… only if you want to… but we will fight on this. He had no right to come barging in here."

"I know that dad, I just… didn't want to blow this up."

Putting his hand on her knee, he finally gets the courage to look up, meeting her eyes. "I know, Lorelai. I want you to know though, that I'm here for you."

"Thank you." she says, her mind racing with emotions. I don't think that I've ever seen him like this, so concerned. We've never really dealt with each other, always stepping around it, trying to avoid anything emotional at all costs between the two of us. I don't think I ever really had a problem with my father though, Emily yes, but not him. He has been a quiet figure all these years, never really saying what he was thinking...

"You are planning on pressing charges aren't you?"

At this, she smiles, remembering a similar conversation from this morning with a certain flannel wearing individual.

"What?" he says, confused by the expression on her face.

"Nothing… you and Luke would get along nicely."

"Why?"

"He was trying to convince me to do the same this morning when he came over to get Jason to go away."

"Hmm.. I see. So… Luke?"

"What about Luke?"

"He seems like a nice man."

"Probably the nicest."

"Is he the reason you broke up with Jason?"

"Oh, no! I broke up with Jason because he was suing you, that didn't have anything to do with Luke."

"So how recent is this then?"

"Well… honestly, this morning was our first step, if you could see it that way."

"Really?"

"Yes, really…"

"You two seem good together. He takes care of you, and obviously seems to be here at the drop of the hat if this morning and tonight is any indication."

"Yeah, well, Luke has always been there for me. He is probably one of my closest friends here in town."

"Lorelai?"

"Yeah?"

"I just want you to know that we want you to be happy, your mom and I…"

"Dad, I know"

"No, let me finish. I know that your mother's version of you being happy is on her terms and her terms only, but I don't want you to think that I agree with that. We've had our moments or lack thereof over the years, and I want you to know that I am proud of what you've done with your life, and I do care about you."

Wow. Definite Kodak moment here. He just said that he was proud of me. I don't think that I've ever heard a compliment come from a Gilmore that was heartfelt and sincere.

A smile spreads across her face as she reaches out to him. He pulls her close, stroking her hair as she fits underneath his chin.

"Dad…I didn't ever think about how much I needed to hear that coming from you."

"Well, it was a long time coming Lorelai, a very long time."